The Area
Area Restaurants & Pizza Places There is no restaurant in the premises of Spruce Hill. But there are several great restaurants nearby, both chain and locally owned, from a 3-minute drive down the road at the junction of I-71 and State Rte 13 for most of the popular chain restaurants, to 15-20 minutes drive going north for Mansfield's fine dining restaurant, or going south to next exit for a well-known Amish restaurant, or going west to Manfield's outskirts for award- 
winning state park's restaurant. So whatever your taste buds long for, homestyle American, Amish, Mexican, Chinese, Japanese, or French cooking, you sure will enjoy a good hearty meal in one of these Recommended Restaurants in our area.
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Spruce Hill is conveniently located near most area attractions including Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, well-known Ohio State Reformatory, historic Malabar Farm, Mansfield award-winning downtown Carousel District, famous BibleWalk, and the lush gardens of Kingwood Center. Snow Trails and Clearfork Ski Resorts, Mohican State Park, Clearfork and Charles Mill Reservoirs, the B&O Bike Trail and Amish Country are all nearby. Skiing, hiking, canoeing, golfing and horseback riding are just a few of the many outdoor recreational activities available to our guests.
Click here for a complete list of our Area Attractions, Recreation, Arts & Entertainment.
Area Shopping
MANSFIELD is a Shopping Hub
Check the parking lot of any shopping plaza or big box store in Mansfield or Ontario and you likely will find many cars displaying license plates from beyond Richland County. That's because the area serves as a major retail hub, with local businesses drawing customers from approximately 500,000 people in 10 surrounding counties.
"We're well-placed, geographically, with a centrally located mall, good highway access and a good selection of retail stores and entertainment venues," explained Bridgett McDaniel, executive director of the Richland Community Development Group. "We're talking about north central Ohio, not just Richland County."
Officials estimate more than 50,000 people come to Richland County to shop every day. Although local businesses draw from a wide area, many customers come from within a 20-mile radius and often drive just four or five miles to their shopping destination.
"It's easier to get around (locally) than going through traffic in Cleveland and Columbus," said Mark Weidemeyer, 3rd Ward representative on Ontario City Council. Weidemeyer is chairman of council's economic development committee and is a member of the Be Focal, Buy Local effort of the Richland Community Development Group.
People also come to the area to shop because of the variety. Richland County communities have businesses ranging from the large chains that advertise nationally to small, locally owned specialty stores.
"If you go through the Carrousel District there are some neat shops -- Main Street Books and Relax (It's Just) Coffee shop, for example," said Jeff Kent, president of Swan Cleaners in downtown Mansfield. "If people get out of their car and walk, they would be surprised what they see (downtown)."
Local business leaders say tourism also is a factor in Richland County serving as a retail hub. Visitors to attractions such as Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Richland Carrousel Park and Malabar Farm State Park often browse local shops for unique items and stop at local restaurants to eat.
Some visitors from big cities view the area as a place for bargains. "I think there are people in Columbus and other large cities who say it's cheaper to buy things in smaller towns," said Dirk Schluter, president of Mansfield Motor Group. Overall, officials say retail operations in the Richland County are doing $1.6 billion a year in business.
(Written by: All Lawrence, News Journal Correspondent March 25. 2012)
